XN000022-1976-03-24 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1976

14

GOVERNMENT URGED TO REVIEW EXISTING

COMMITTEES AND BOARDS

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THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN TODAY URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW ALL THE EXISTING COMMITTEES AND BOARDS SO AS +TO ELIMINATE THOSE WHICH ARE NO LONGER NEEDED AND TO MAKE ROOM FOR OTHER NEW COMMITTEES WHICH CAN RELATE TO THE CHANGING TIMES.+

SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID SINCE A CASE HAD BEEN MADE OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT BY ITS VERY NATURE HAD TO RULE BY CONSULTATION, BY CONSENT AND BY CONSENSUS, THERE HAD BEEN SET UP A LARGE NUMBER OF COMMITTEES OF ALL SORTS AND DESCRIPTION.

HE POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT SOME COMMITTEES WHICH HAD ALREADY MORE THAN FULFILLED THEIR PURPOSE WERE STILL UNPRODUCTIVELY LINGERING ON, THUS TAKING UP VALUABLE TIME OF CIVIL SERVANTS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

ON SERVICES FOR THE YOUTH, MR. CHEONG-LEEN SAID THERE WAS A NEED TO KEEP ON STRENGTHENING THE CO-ORDINATION OF SUCH SERVICES AND TO GIVE IT A MORE LONG-RANGE APPROACH.

HE REFERRED TO THE INTER-DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON SERVICES FOR YOUTH, WHICH HAD MET ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES IN THE TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS SINCE IT WAS FORMED.

HE SAID HE WAS SURPRISED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD NOT THOUGHT IT ADVISABLE TO ALLOW NON-GOVERNMENTAL PARTICIPATION IN THE DELIBERATIONS OF THIS COMMITTEE ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE FUTURE WELL-BEING OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN WAS OF THE OPINION THAT THE OBJECTIVES OF THE INTER-DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON SERVICES FOR YOUTH SHOULD BE REVIEWED AND EXPANDED TO GIVE IT A MORE LONG-TERM APPROACH, AND ITS MEMBERSHIP ENLARGED TO INCLUDE KNOWLEDGEABLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE HAD RICH EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA OF SOCIAL WORK.

TURNING TO LAW AND ORDER, MR. CHEONG-LEEN URGED THAT THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT IN PARTICULAR BE GIVEN SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO EXPAND ITS MUTUAL AID COMMITTEE LIAISON STAFF.

THIS, HE SAID, WOULD ENABLE THE M.A.C. MOVEMENT TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO FIGHT CRIME AS WELL AS TO IMPROVE THE GENERAL LIVING ENVIRONMENT.

WHILE NOTING THE RECENT IMPROVEMENT IN THE CRIME SITUATION, HE SAID THE GENERAL LEVEL OF EDUCATION OF NEW RECRUITS SHOULD BE FURTHER UPGRADED AND POLICE TERMS OF SERVICE SHOULD BE REGULARLY REVIEWED.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN SAID THAT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW SHOULD ALSO BE CARRIED OUT TO SEE IF ALL THE YOUTH SERVICES WERE EFFECTIVELY MEETING THE REAL NEEDS OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

/HE SAID